The invention relates to a floor treatment system with a self-propelled and self-steering floor treatment unit.
Self-propelled and self-steering floor treatment units can be used for treating, in particular cleaning, a floor surface without the floor treatment unit having to be moved across the floor surface by an operator. Rather, the floor treatment unit is configured in such a way that it automatically travels across the floor surface and treats it. If it meets an obstacle, this is detected by the floor treatment unit, which then changes its direction of travel to avoid the obstacle.
The treatment of the floor surface is performed by means of a floor treatment assembly which is carried along by the floor treatment unit and is supplied with electrical power by a power supply unit. The charging state of the power supply unit is monitored by an electrical control system of the floor treatment unit. If the charging state falls below a predetermined limit value, the floor treatment unit heads automatically for the central charging station, at which the power supply unit can be recharged. For this purpose, respective electrical connecting elements that are associated with one another and by means of which the electrical power can be transferred are disposed on the floor treatment unit and on the charging station. Floor treatment systems of this type are known for example from WO 99/28800, DE 298 24 552 U and from U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,226 A.
For transferring electrical power from the charging station to the floor treatment unit with as little loss as possible, it is necessary that the respective electrical connecting elements can be electrically coupled to one another. It has been found that, with known floor treatment systems, an electrical coupling of this type cannot be reliably achieved in all cases.
It is an object of the present invention to develop a floor treatment system of the type stated above in such a way that improved electrical coupling of the respective connecting elements is made possible.